[CW] Dit-Dit: Maritime use vs ham use

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

I remember more stations sent it this way: One station sent EE and the 
other just one E.

USCG SAN FRANCISCO NMC: WAKL de NMC R TU SU SS KING/WAKL: EE
NMC: E

Also I believe it was codified in either or both FCC and/or ITU that all 
transmissions would start with the query IE which is American Morse C 
for "clear" .  The response was "E", no the frequency is busy, stand by 
or "I", the frequency is clear.  Remember, American Morse was used by 
USA and Canadian coastal radio stations in the early 20th century, and 
it was required that USA and Canadian ships communicate in American 
Morse with USA and Canadian stations in American Morse, and other 
nation's stations in International Morse.

Even at the end of 500 kHz watch, we would hear the former RCA stations 
WCC and KPH send:

IE (which is American Morse for "C".

IE (pause) CQ CQ CQ DE WCC WCC WCC TFC LIST QSW 436/HF =

73

DR


On Sun, Jan 21, 2024 at 7:12 PM Richard Knoppow 
<1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>     This is exactly what I used to hear. I think the combined signal ..
> . is the letter C in American Morse for "clear" meaning both stations
> are finished. Probably never an official signal.
>
> On 1/21/2024 1:02 PM, Radio KH6O wrote:
> > DR,
> >
> > Thank you for sending the copy of Morsum Magnificat, 10/94 issue.
> >
> > I'd like to respond to the article on the use of Dit-Dit.
> >
> >
> > On 500 kc and the HF CW maritime bands, if I made the final
> > transmission, it was the OTHER station who would initiate the Dit-Dit
> > and I would then respond back to him:
> >
> > Maritime bands:
> >
> > Me: 3ZRS DE NMO TU SU
> > Other station: EE
> > Me: EE
> >
> > This seems the correct use of Dit-Dit.
> >
> >
> > But on the ham bands, this is what I hear:
> >
> > Other station: KH6O DE KH2PZ TU SU EE
> > To which I'm supposed to send: EE
> >
> > This seems odd to me -- as on the maritime bands, I feel I should have
> > initiated the Dit-Dit, not the signing station.
> >
> > Ok, so slight difference -- it shouldn't bother me, right? But It does
> > show another prosign difference between those code operators who got
> > paid, and those who don't.
> >
> > 73, Jeff KH6O
> >
>
> --
> Richard Knoppow
> Los Angeles
> WB6KBL
> SKCC 19998
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> =30=